New app brings auto mechanics to you

Updated 5:03 pm, Wednesday, September 2, 2015

With YourMechanic customers can call a mechanic to fix their car wherever they are.

With YourMechanic customers can call a mechanic to fix their car wherever they are.

Photo: YourMechanic

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Customers get a report on the app following service.

Customers get a report on the app following service.

Photo: YourMechanic

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Through YourMechanic customers can call an auto mechanic to wherever they are.

Through YourMechanic customers can call an auto mechanic to wherever they are.

Photo: YourMechanic

New app brings auto mechanics to you

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One of the latest Uber-style apps means you won't have to go to an auto shop to have your oil changed or find out what that screeching sound coming from the brakes means.

YourMechanic allows customers to use the app to call an auto mechanic within most of the Houston area. The app offers diagnoses based on issues you might be having and instant quotes for service.

Co-founder and CEO Art Agrawal wanted more transparency and convenience in getting his car serviced. He kicked off with a website in September 2012, and the app came out about 10 months ago, he said. It first came to Houston online last year. Customers' bills are broken down to show the cost of any parts and an hourly labor rate predetermined by the mechanic and the company.

"Dealing with car problems is not only a time-consuming and frustrating experience, it's often expensive," Agrawal said in a statement. "Car owners often lack visibility regarding the expertise of a mechanic or the fairness of the price charged. Our goal is to make car repair and maintenance affordable, convenient and transparent in Houston."

The service is in 30 metro areas and has found success in its first few months in the car-oriented culture of Houston, with several hundred service in the area calls per month, he said.

The company says that because it connects mechanics directly with consumers it's able to offer lower prices and more of what you pay goes to the mechanic than would at a shop. YourMechanic makes money from the parts sold and has also raised $1.8 million in seed funding to get started.

Customers rate mechanics and each mechanic's profile includes reviews, ratings and his or her experience and certifications.